Ex-convict Mark Scott-Crossley who is on trial for attempted murder of a farmworker and malicious damage to property says he didn't see anyone alongside the road when his vehicle veered off and hit a brick wall.

Scott-Crossley had also told the court that two hours prior the incident, he and the victim had a verbal altercation at a shopping centre.  

Scott-Crossley was testifying at the Lenyenye magistrate's court where he is accused of intentionally driving onto a farmworker Silence Mabunda in a suspected racial altercation in Hoedspruit in Maruleng local municipality in 2016.

Scott-Crossley, one of the men involved in throwing Nelson Chisale's body to lions on a farm in 2004, was set free on parole in August 2008. His life sentence was substituted with five years' jail term on the lesser offence of being an accessory after an appeal.

Regarding the 2016 matter, Scott-Crossley told the court on Wednesday that he misread and misjudged a junction leading to his home and made an early turn.

“There was light rain on the day and at the time of the accident I didn't see any pedestrian alongside the road. I was driving a bit fast in a Jeep and lost control where I hit sign boards and brick wall,” he said.

He also told the court he and Mabunda had their first encounter around 5pm on the day of the incident while they were answering their cellphones at a nearby shopping complex.

“I was standing on a veranda and drinking alcohol with my friend. Then my phone rang.  As I answered it, one gentleman was also speaking on their phone and was making a lot of noise, when I asked him to lower his voice a heated argument ensued.”

The car incident happened that evening around 7pm.

Mabunda previously told the court that Scott-Crossley wanted to kill him.

Five years later, Mabunda is still using crutches to walk due to injuries sustained in the incident.

The trial continues.